Raptors Take Game 1 of Championship Series at Home, Now One Win Away from PBL Title

The Ogden Raptors took Game 1 of the 2023 PBL Championship Series at home and are now just one win away from being crowned this season's champions. Billings struck first today, as catcher John Michael Faile had his first home run of the postseason right in the top of the first inning, a 399-foot hit to left center field. Faile would go on to have three more hits on the day, leading the Mustangs' offense. In the bottom part of the inning, the Raptors took the lead for the first time in the day and never looked back. Josh Broughton hit a triple to lead off the frame and then scored on a wild pitch. Logan Williams homered 10 pitches later, a 372-foot hit into right field that also scored Reese Alexiades, who hit a 409-foot home run in the bottom third to bring the score to 4-1. Broughton scored once again on another wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth, extending the Raptors' lead to four.  

The Mustangs would then proceed to slowly chip away to get back in the game, scoring a run in three consecutive innings from the top of the sixth. First, Gabe Wurtz hit a sacrifice fly to score Blake Evans. In the following inning, Luke Fennelly singled to bring Brendan Ryan home. Wurtz then hit a 372-foot home run from the first pitch in the top of the eighth to cut Ogden's lead to one and make the score 5-4. Dan Kubiuk took the mound for the Raptors right after and, facing loaded bases, got the final out of the inning, striking out Fennelly on a 95 miles-per-hour fastball. The momentum swung back to Ogden, who scored twice in the bottom of the eighth. Williams hit his second home run of the day and the fifth of the game, a 417-foot blast to center field before Cameron Phelts singled to left field to bring Nick Ultsch home to extend the lead to 7-4. Kubiuk set the Mustangs down in order in the ninth to seal the victory.  

Matthew Hess took the win after six innings of work with six hits, three earned runs, a strikeout, and a walk, while Kubiuk recorded his third save of the postseason, with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. Brandon McPherson went five innings for Billings, also with six hits and five earned runs, two walks, and three strikeouts. Ogden takes the advantage in the series to Montana but will have to take one game away as Billings plays at home twice to finish the PBL season.  Game 2 of the Championship Series will be played Monday, September 18th, at 6:35 PM from Billings. You can find tickets here. If needed, Game 3 will take place on Tuesday at 6:35 PM, also from Dehler Park.